DIY Divorce in Florida often gets questions from people who have moved to Florida from other states and countries and want to know if they can get divorced in Florida. The answer is YES.
It doesn't matter where you got married. You can divorced in Florida if at least one of you has lived here for at least 6 months before the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage is filed. Your residence here for that 6 month period is enough to give Florida courts jurisdiction over your marriage.
If you have kids, beware. Custody and visitation jurisdiction may be different. For Florida courts to be able to decide issues about your kids, the kids have to live in Florida for 6 months before the petition is filed.
You could be in a situation where the divorce and child support can be ordered, but no parental time-sharing plan can be ordered. That would happen if your kids and spouse live in another state or country in the 6 months before the petition is filed.
This can be a tricky area. You may need to get an expert to help you if you're in this situation.
Remember, if you represent yourself, you need to know what the law says. One place to find legal information is the DIY Divorce Tele Test Drive class.
